After a wonderful night alone in the woods we hit the road so we could get to Yosemite early that morning. What we didn’t realize is how insanely crowded and busy it is in the summer at Yosemite National Park. We arrived in the early morning and it still took us two hours to find a parking spot. Not because our van was too big for a lot of spots, but because there literally was not a single parking space open. And there is good reason for that.

I mean look at this place. These pictures will never do it justice - you need to go for yourself. Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been - definitely at the top of my favorite national parks list. We were able to do walk all around Yosemite Valley for a couple hours, which has many paved and accessible paths. One of them being Cook’s Meadow Trail, which is also dog friendly! So Joon was able to enjoy the sights with us - even when we saw a bear! Yup, a black bear was enjoying a swim down the river then jumped right over the fence. It was probably the closest I would ever want to be to a bear!

Another dog friendly hike we did in Yosemite Valley was Lower Yosemite Falls, which is actually 10x higher than Niagra Falls! Joon enjoyed the mist from the waterfall as it was a nice hot day!

After a lovely afternoon in Yosemite Valley we went back to the van to make a quick lunch before heading to Glacier Point, which has some stunning panorama views and is dog-friendly. Joon wants to warn your pups that there are many squirrels and chipmunks so be on the lookout! Unfortunately, if you are planning your trip for 2021 the road to Glacier Point will be closed for maintenance. So the only way to get to Glacier Point would be via the Four Mile, Panorama, and Pohono Trails which are all rated as strenuous hikes. Our plan for the next time we visit Yosemite is to go super early in the morning (like 4 AM early) for the sunrise, cool morning hikes, and a quieter park. We think we would take to afternoon off in the van for lunch and a nap, then head back into the park to again limit the time spent in crowds and the hot sun!

We left Yosemite and headed west towards the coast with one goal in mind: wine country! We stopped for the night somewhere in the middle of the state and had breakfast at a beautiful overlook. We opened up some coffee that we picked up outside Joshua Tree and had a slow morning editing photos and enjoying the wonderful California weather.

We drove for a couple hours to get to a campsite at Spring Lake Regional Park for a little hike, dinner, and cold showers before heading to wineries the next day. We had been to Sonoma once before with my family, so we planned to go to two of our favorite wineries, which are both dog-friendly: WALT and Landmark Vineyards. I am hoping that my sister, Kim, who is like one step below a sommelier will help me make a Sonoma/Napa winery list soon!

Unfortunately, this is the part of our road trip where things took a turn for the worse. After our first wine tasting, I got really sick. Like really really sick. This has happened to me a couple times before - getting sick after minimal drinking - but never this bad. I wasn’t able to keep any food or liquids down, which led to dehydration, cramping, weakness, exhaustion, and a slight fever. Jason and Joon were true champions through it all. Jason drove almost 8 hours to get to the coast and get as close to home as possible, while Joon cuddled me in bed in the back of the van (the real benefit of traveling in a van by the way). It took over 72 hours for me to get to the point of being able to eat/drink without throwing up, which looked like Jason begging me to eat a single Wendy’s chicken nugget. I ate one nugget, drank some water, took a nap, and woke up feeling better. Finally. It gave me enough energy to be able to sit in the front seat and eventually take my puppy to the beach. I think that was one of the most healing things - hearing the calming ocean waves, smelling the sea air, feeling the salt water mist on my face. It was just what I needed. And look how much fun Joon had!

I was sad to miss a lot of the beauty of the northern Californian coast, but thankfully I have one badass photographer with me to capture what I couldn’t see for myself.

It took me a little over two weeks before I really felt back to normal. As you can imagine, that really scared me and has prevented me from drinking any alcohol for almost 9 months now. I don’t really know why this happens, if my body can’t process alcohol anymore or if I have developed an allergy, but I have just decided to avoid alcohol. Which is sad because I love wine! Have any of you had similar symptoms or know someone who has had similar experiences? I would love to know!

After the beach we passed through Redwoods very quickly before getting into Oregon for the night. The Oregon coast is probably one of the most beautiful places in the lower 48 and I cannot wait to share this next part of the trip with you!

West Coast Road Trip: California Part 3

West Coast Road Trip: The Itinerary

West Coast Road Trip: California Part 3

West Coast Road Trip: The Itinerary

Eco-Conscious Products & Tips

Easter Dinner feat. Vegan Carrot Cake